This invention relates generally to snap action electrical switches and in particular to subminiature snap action switches characterized by an actuator lever which causes a coil spring in a pivot bracket assembly to open or close a pair of electrical contacts. Such snap action electrical switches have been used in a variety of applications for many years, one especially successful sub-miniature snap action switch being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,075, the specification thereof being incorporated herein by reference.
Though snap action switches of the type described have been the subject of wide-spread use for many years, they nonetheless suffer from several drawbacks and deficiencies. For example, due to their relatively small size, and the concomitant difficulty in handling the miniaturized components, they are difficult to manufacture and assemble. This problem is particularly acute in the manufacture of the pivot bracket assembly which typically comprises an important subassembly of snap action switches of the type described. Further, heretofore subminiature snap action switches were especially difficult to assemble unless a substantial amount of the work was tediously done by hand.
It is thus a primary object of this invention to provide an improved snap action electrical switch, and an improved method for manufacturing and assembling such a switch. It is another object of this invention to provide such an improved switch which can be efficiently and reliably manufactured with a minimum amount of time required for the type of tedious hand assembly that was typically required heretofore. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the accompanying detailed description.